Interspecific Impatiens plant named ‘Balfafblus’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Impatiens  plant named ‘Balfafblus’ characterized by its single, very pale violet-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, good basal branching character, and vigorous, mounded and trailing growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Impatiens hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Balfafblus’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofImpatiens plant botanically known as Impatiens hybrida and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Balfafblus’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program during July1998 at Cartago, Costa Rica, Central America. The objective of thebreeding program was the development of new Impatiens cultivars withnumerous single flowers, excellent basal branching, and mounded,trailing growth habit.

The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar was the proprietaryImpatiens flaccida selection designated N510, not patented,characterized by its lilac-colored flowers and mounded, loose habit. Themale (pollen) parent of the new cultivar was a pool of pollen from JavaSeries F1 hybrids, not patented, characterized by medium to largeflowers and medium vigor. The new cultivar was discovered and selectedby the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination during October 1998 at Cartago, Costa Rica,Central Amercia.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceOctober 1998 at Cartago, Costa Rica and West Chicago, Ill., hasdemonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with allcharacteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Balfafblus’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Impatiens plant:

-   -   1. Single, very pale violet-colored flowers.    -   2. Dark green-colored foliage.    -   3. Good basal branching character.    -   4. Vigorous, mounded and trailing growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in flower color and from the male parent primarily in flowersize and plant vigor.

Of the many commercially available Impatiens cultivars known to theinventor, the most similar to the new cultivar is the variety‘Balfaflav’, not patented. However, in side-by-side comparisonsconducted at West Chicago, Ill., plants of the new cultivar differedfrom plants of ‘Balfaflav’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller flowers than plants        of ‘Balfaflav’.    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller leaves than plants of        ‘Balfaflav’.    -   3. The flowers of the new cultivar are lighter in color than the        flowers of ‘Balfaflav’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describe the colors of ‘Balfafblus’. Theplants were grown in 10 cm pots for 8 weeks in a greenhouse at WestChicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Balfafblus’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of‘Balfafblus’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length without, however, any variance inphenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined on Jul. 20, 2004 between10:00 and 11:45 a.m. under natural light conditions.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a doublepolycarbonate-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to thoseused in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill.in 10 cm pots for 8 weeks using a soil-less growth medium. Greenhousetemperatures were maintained at approximately 65°-75° F. during the dayand approximately 55°-62° F. during the night. Greenhouse light levelswere maintained at approximately 4,000-6,000 footcandles during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens hybrida cultivar Balfafblus.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female (seed) parent.—Proprietary Impatiens flaccida            selection designated N510, not patented.        -   Male (pollen) parent.—Pollen pool derived from Impatiens            hawkeri Java Series F1 hybrids, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7-14 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 days.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Crop time.—Approximately 6-8 weeks from planting of rooted            cutting to finish.        -   Growth habit.—Compact with good basal branching.        -   Form.—Mounded, trailing.        -   Size.—Height: Approximately 16.5 cm. Width (area of plant            spread): Approximately 37.4 cm.        -   Branch.—Quantity: Approximately 3 per plant. Strength:            Strong. Length: Approximately 16.5 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 5.8 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 146B.            Internode length: Approximately 2.4 cm.        -   Foliage.—Quantity per branch: Approximately 20. Fragrance:            None. Type: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite. Aspect: At right            angle to stem. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base:            Attenuate: Margin: Serrate/ciliate. Venation pattern:            Pinnate, arcuate. Length of mature foliage: Approximately            5.4 cm. Width of mature foliage: Approximately 2.1 cm.            Texture of both surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper surface            of mature foliage: 137A, with veins and mid-vein of 145B.            Color of lower surface of mature foliage: Closest to 138B            with veins and mid-vein of 145B. Petiole length:            Approximately 5. mm. Petiole diameter: Approximately 2.5 mm.            Petiole texture: Both surfaces are glabrous. Petiole color:            145B.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering under outdoor growing            conditions with substantially continuous blooming from            spring through autumn and year round in greenhouse            environment.        -   Time to first flower.—Approximately 8 weeks after planting            of rooted cutting.        -   Lastingness of individual bloom.—Approximately 5-7 days.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Approximately 44 flowers and 12 buds            per plant at any one time.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower bud rate of opening.—Generally it takes from 3-5 days            for buds to progress from first color to fully open flowers.        -   Mature flower buds (just before opening).—Shape: Ovate.            Length: Approximately 1.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 7 mm.            Color: 73D.        -   Flower description.—Type: Single. Fragrance: None. Shape:            Round. Diameter: Approximately 3.9 cm. Depth: Approximately            1.6 cm. Borne: Above foliage facing upward or outward.            Flowers are not persistent or fragrant.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: 5. Shape: Obovate. Margin:            Entire. Apex: Emarginate. Base of upper petal: Truncate.            Base of lateral and lower petals: Attenuate. Texture of both            surfaces: Glabrous. Appearance: Iridescent. Size of upper            petal: Length: Approximately 2.1 cm. Width: 2.7 cm. Size of            lateral petals: Length: 2.2 cm. Width: 1.8 cm. Size of lower            petals: Length: 2.4 cm. Width: 2.1 cm.        -   Flower color.—Upper surface of petals when fully open:            Closest to N155B with blush of 76D, mid-rib of 71D and spot            of 71A at base. Lower surface of petals when fully open:            Closest to N155B.        -   Calyx.—Quantity of sepals: Three, with the lower sepal            modified into a spur. Sepal apex: Acuminate. Sepal texture:            Both surfaces are glabrous. Lateral sepal shape: Ovate.            Lateral sepal apex: Acuminate. Lateral sepal length:            Approximately 1.3 cm. Lateral sepal width: Approximately            0.6 mm. Lateral sepal base: Obtuse. Lateral sepal color:            Both surfaces are 144C. Lower sepal shape: Ovate. Lower            sepal apex: Acuminate. Lower sepal base: Forms spur. Lower            sepal length: Approximately 1.2 cm. Lower sepal width:            Approximately 6.9 mm. Lower sepal color of both surfaces:            144B at tip and along mid-line, 155C along margins.        -   Spur.—Quantity: One per flower. Length: Approximately            2.1 cm. Diameter at base: Approximately 1.4 mm. Diameter at            tip: Approximately 0.5 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 73D at            base gradually transitioning to N144C at tip.        -   Peduncle.—Length: Approximately 2.6 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 1.2 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Strength: Strong.            Angle to stem: Acute. Color: 145C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamen number: 5. Anther shape: Hooded.            Anther size: 1.6 mm. Anther color: 8D. Pollen amount:            Moderate. Pollen color: 9D. Pistil quantity: 1. Stigma            shape: Five pointed star. Stigma length: 0.5 mm. Stigma            color: Colorless, transparent. Style length: 1 mm. Style            color: 145C. Ovary length: 3 mm. Ovary diameter: 1.5 mm.            Ovary texture: Glabrous. Ovary color: N144C.-   Seed and fruit development: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Impatiens has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens plant named ‘Balfafblus’,substantially as herein shown and described, which:
 1. Exhibits single,very pale violet-colored flowers.
 2. Forms dark green-colored foliage.3. Exhibits a good basal branching character.
 4. Exhibits a vigorous,mounded and trailing growth habit.